With nine days remaining of the January transfer window, time is running out for Liverpool to sign more players to bolster the squad, but reports in Italy today suggest that the Reds have their eye on Catania starlet Maks Barisic.

According to Calciomercato, Liverpool scouts are monitoring the 'outstanding' 17-year old Slovenian attacker, who is currently on loan from FC Koper Luka, and is available for a knockdown price of €250k.

Barisic has six goals in twelve appearances for Catania in Italy's youth league, the Campionato Primavera.

Slovenia seems to be producing some promising players at the moment, and along with Barisic, Liverpool have recently been linked with fellow Slovenians Andraž Šporar and Josip Ilicic

Last week, Šporar - who has 7 goals in 20 games for Olimpija Ljubljana this season - revealed his ambition to play for Liverpool FC. He told Sportske Novosti:

"I'm quite ambitious and my goals are high. I will only be happy when I wear the Liverpool shirt. That is the club I support."

In an interview with Tuttomercato in December, Amir Ruznic - Ilicic's Agent - was asked whether the Slovenia striker was on his way to Anfield in January. He responded:

"What about Liverpool? I have read something in the newspapers, but I know no more. About a possible transfer in January? I don't think it's a deal for the winter market."

good young player and wants the move no brainer,was listening to some ex lfc player and he said fsg see sturridge as a marque signing ,well good player that he his if thats as big a name were going to sign were doomed

If the clubs thinks he is good then why not, clearly he is just a youth payer for us, so I`m not going to get over excited.

On a different note, what do people make of the Countinho deal? Some papers reporting that it is getting closer to being done. While I would like some experience, he does looks a good little player, and would be a good edition to the team.

I see Snejider when to Gala, which I`m glad of. Clearly choose money first, as although Gala our a good team, there league aint that great. Rumours are 100k a week after tax, so would have cost us about 140k a week. Persoanlly I think that was a good dodge by us.

We have always signed talented youngsters along with our additions to the first team. They're two seperate budgets most likely. During the reign of the last couple of managers we've signed up shedloads of players from all over the planet for the academy and most of them will not work out. So to be honest I don't get too worked up about young players and the money spent on them. They're all the next Zidane.

Never ever heard of the boy. We seem to have a scouting department after all. Getting them players in while they are still so young is a good thing, as they'd be considered home-grown as soon as they turn 21.

Ditto. Ten-a-penny. Always a bit wary about youth records, when people bring it up. Rather they just be signed under the radar and leave them be but nowadays, with the internet coverage, etc, it is almost impossible.

Maybe for the next 1-2 years they can still sell Anfield out without success on the pitch but the longer the drought goes, the more the older generation(s) will start dying. Younger fans will start pigeonholing us with the likes of Leeds (and maybe Arsenal) and then fsg will have to start selling up.

Depends on who you ask. Quite a few people on here (and elsewhere too) where at arms because we were linked with players and even offered one a trial who also attracted interest from Wigan and Southampton. They argued that the players therefore must be $hit and how low we have sunk. Then we were linked to allegedly still world-class player Sneijder, who was linked with and obviously signed for Galatasaray. In that case I used the argumentation described above. You see, I can be able to learn if need be. I explain all this because I am not sure whether you want to point out that I argued that way concerning Sneijder or others arguing against several other alleged transfer targets.

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